Mars One has had some hard times lately, what with some prominent scientists and journalists finally beginning to grow skeptical about its viability, and its own CEO pushing the manned mission back by two years to 2025.

Some have been critical of the project’s high-profile call for astronauts willing to accept a one-way mission, saying that it’s an unethical and unnecessary measure that’s incompatible with modern values. Others simply poo-poo their schedule and funding plans, claiming that the Mars One foundation (called by its Dutch name of “Stichting Mars One”) cannot possibly do what it claims with the time, talent, and money it has available.

And then, earlier this week, the venerable Lockheed Martin came on board. For about $250,000, the aerospace giant will throw its talent, but perhaps more importantly its name behind the fledgling space program.

Mars One has generated much of its own hype, and thus funding, but I think it’s fair to say that without SpaceX continually reminding people of the viability of a privately funded space program, the world would be far less willing to hear what Bas Lansdorp thinks about interplanetary travel. Mars One has set an extremely ambitious timeline, even given its two year fall back: it has pledged to put an unmanned mission on Mars within the next five years, and to follow that with a manned mission just seven years after that.

Mars One front-man Bas Lansdorp.

Lockheed’s services will come in the form of a “mission concept study” to help design and plan the unmanned mission slated for 2018. Presumably the Mars One team already has at least some ideas in mind, but when the folks who made Curiosity’s forebears are available to offer suggestions and check your math, you take advantage of that opportunity.

The mission plan will have to incorporate elements of both missions, as the first unmanned venture will function as both reconnaissance and early set-up for the manned one to follow. Being so inextricably linked, the two missions must be treated with equal, or near-equal, gravitas.

A further $80,000 is going to a British company called Surrey Satellite Technology, which will go to designing a geosynchronous satellite for relaying communications from the lander to Earth and back again. That’s an essential part of lander design, as the practical limitations on transmission power and line of sight make direct communication with Earth impossible.

This investment is just a drop in the bucket, relative to what Mars One will ultimately need. It knows it will be forced to turn to private philanthropists and other charitable sources to meet its projected $6 billion goal for the manned mission. Even then, though, many (many) analysts have scoffed at this figure, saying it’s off by more than an order of magnitude; various researchers and professionals have taken their own stabs at estimating a final mission cost, which some say could top $1 trillion — and when sending humans into space, cutting corners simply is not an option.

Lockheed is no stranger to collaborating on Mars missions. Here is MAVEN, a probe sent to study the Martian atmosphere.

Though it seems absurd, given the scale of the operation, Mars One has recently started an Indiegogo campaign to help supplement its philanthropic donations and aerospace partnerships. With a goal of $400,000, it would be a significant influx of cash, hopefully enough to fund efforts that will generate more momentum and stimulate investment from more moneyed sectors of society. This Indiegogo campaign is, ideally, still worth less than a single percent of the mission’s total need. Just 24 hours in they’ve made almost a tenth of the funding goal, however, so their fortunes look good in the short term with more than a month left to go.

Mars One is awash in ethical, financial, scientific, and legal issues. While some see only romance in a one-way trip to the stars, others see nationally syndicated suicide. While some see a noble push to understand the universe, others see a redirection of funds from a flagging Earth-bound economy.

Mars One states its deadlines with confidence, but there are many who believe they will simply fail. If Mars One wishes to succeed it will need to use what funding it can get now to build confidence with investors — and there are few names that inspire as much investor confidence as Lockheed.